John Velissarios

John Velissarios is a world-leading expert in cyber security and digital finance. With a career spanning over 30 years, John helps global organisations, governments and central banks understand and secure the rapidly evolving digital economy. His work brings together cyber resilience, blockchain technology, digital assets, and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) to build safer, smarter systems that serve billions of users around the world. Whether he’s advising on national payment strategies or speaking at international forums, John brings unmatched depth and clarity to some of the most complex issues in finance and cyber security today.

John began his career in software and system development roles in Canada before moving into consulting. He joined PwC in the late 1990s, where he became Senior Manager of Security Consulting for financial services clients. In 2003, he joined Accenture, where he spent nearly 20 years, rising to Global Managing Director and Global Lead for Digital Assets, Custody and CBDC. Based in London, he led critical projects for top-tier financial institutions and central banks, designing and implementing secure frameworks for digital currencies and assets. At Accenture, John managed multi-national teams across North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia, helping to build and protect some of the world’s most important digital finance infrastructures.

John’s achievements include leading the technical development of Kazakhstan’s Digital Tenge, one of the world’s most advanced CBDC projects, where he continues to serve as Chief Advisor. He is also Founder and Director of Otranto Limited, a consultancy focused on digital finance strategy and security, and serves as an Expert Advisor to the Digital Euro Association. He previously held advisory roles with the Digital Dollar Project and the Digital Pound Foundation, contributing to some of the most influential initiatives shaping the future of money. His background in cryptography, cyber risk, security protocols, and system architecture makes him one of the most trusted minds in his field.

As a keynote speaker, John is regularly invited to major industry events including the London Blockchain Conference, Blockchain Africa, the Hyperledger Global Forum and the CBDC Conference. He delivers sessions on topics such as cyber security in digital markets, the future of payments, and the role of blockchain in building secure financial systems. Known for his ability to explain technical subjects clearly, John empowers audiences – from C-suite leaders to technical experts – to understand risk, build resilience, and stay ahead in a fast-moving digital world.